So much to be thankful for...

I guess I am just as guilty as most - I complain about my family with their weird quirks and the extra time it takes out of my schedule to spend time with them, but when the holidays roll around and we all gather, especially over a meal - my heart is warmed... Frustrations of the past year are melted away and I feel a joy inside to just have everyone in one house not killing each other - it's pretty close to bliss for me...

This year with my Dad going through surgery I have so much to be thankful for. He it getting so much better so fast, he was up and around; supervising the kitchen, to a lesser degree than normal, but still helpful when I had a question - and right here for the money shot basting the turkey...

Mom and Jim were in town and I had a great time hanging out with them. They were very helpful in the preparation of the meal and the morning of thanksgiving, making sure it all came together - it was a nice to have them around...

I decided on a square table this year with all of the food on the table rather than buffet style. The layout was right, but nixing the buffet was not... note to self for next year... We had: turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, corn, fresh baked crescent rolls and many different kinds of pies - it was a feast.

11 in total came and we had nice conversation and much laughter around the table...

As a took a step back, I thought about how much I have to be thankful for: My Lord and Savior, my dad's healthy recovery, my mother and step dad, my sister and her wonderful fiance Doug, Doug's family, my wonderful freiend Shel and her dad, and the beautiful home God has blessed me with... Ahh yes and the mess everyone left as I found myself scrubbing till midnight after the festivities...

Hmmm well I leave in the morning for Modesto, so at least I will come home to a clean house...

Amarillo and thanksgiving prep...

Work has been killing me lately... I have business travel stacked week to week for the rest of the year - I just got home from Amarillo - I had to train a product roll - which was very successful...I stayed in my favorite hotel in: the courtyard... this time I got a king suite... totally worth the extra $20 a night...

I worked day and night to come back to a desk full of work (geez) at least I have the next 3 days off for Thanksgiving - Mom and Jim are in town and I have been cooking up a storm...

I am confident that I will be ready for tomorrow... Then I leave Monday at the crack of dawn for Modesto... hmmmm....like the pioneer woman says - I'm just keepin it real - here is my cooking kitchen... YUK! what a mess... I will get it together (as I always do) for the fam tomorrow...

Thanksgiving...

Even though Dad is recovering he still wants a big thanksgiving. So the night before he went into surgery we went shopping (as the two of us do each year) for all the goodies - I am ready! I just need to clean the house and buy some fresh veggies....

Mom will be in town staying with me. I think we have a total of 11 coming (so far)...

Bad News and a Praise...

We got bad news last week - my Dad has an aneurysm in his aorta. Pretty serious, they thought he might die - I was scared... I prayed a lot. Lots of people prayed a lot.

He went through surgery yesterday and came out OK - all to the glory of God! He is our strength in tough times and our deliverer from sickness.

Dad has been recovering in the ICU since yesterday. He sat up today and talked to me on the phone. He is still making jokes so I know his will is to get up and get well...

I am so blessed.

Vegas Convention...

So every two years my company hosts our National Operators Seminar at a fabulous location. Typically at these events (I have only been to 6) we spend a ton of money on needless crap to impress our operators and this year was no exception... We stayed at the exquisite Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Dad and I got into town the afternoon before the seminar and stayed at the Rio - he hit the craps table while I hit the club with the girls. In my ripe old age I don't make it to the dance clubs anymore as I usually have church in the morning - well with little responsibility the next day I danced the night away! We went to The Bank - a very high end exclusive club in town...

forgive the poor resolution pics... there was hot sweaty dancing, falling glitter/bubbles and lots of hooping and hollering... it was a fun night...

The next day after working all morning I went to check into my room at the Bellagio - WHAT A DISASTER - I waited in a very long line to check in and finally got a room way across the casino up 14 floors all the way at the end of the hall - I trekked up to my door to find that both keys they gave me at the desk did not work... bummer... I called the desk and they sent security "right up to let me in" 15 min later this guy showed up to let me into a dirty room... I was really disappointed... So I hiked all the way back to the desk and calmly stated my complaint... the guy was genuinely embarrassed and apologetic... he promptly handed me keys to a suite on the 24th floor - SCORE! I have never stayed in a room like this in Vegas - ever...

It was on a corner so I had three windows with two views, one of the pool area and the other facing West Vegas and the mountains...

I think the coolest part of the room was the electric curtains that revealed the awesome view.

This curtain was over my spa jet bathtub - needless to say I took 3 baths while I was there watching the view as I relaxed with the jets...

Chicken cordon blue sandwich...

I often (when eating alone) I throw something together and stand over the sink and eat it - Hey, I'm usually in a hurry and I hate needless dirty dishes...

Anyway, last night I had a cooked chicken breast in the fridge and stared at the ingredients I had in the fridge for a sandwich idea... then it hit me - chicken cordon blue...

I toasted some wheat bread, and topped it with a glop of blue cheese dressing on each side.

When the chicken came out of the microwave I tossed a couple pieces of ham on top with a slice of swiss cheese. So I stood over the sink and devoured the sandwich - it was tangy, savory, and absolutely delicious! I will definitely make this one again.

I'm proud to be an American...

Last night my heart delighted and I welled up with tears as my country elected a well qualified, energetic, youthful African American man to be our 44th president. His acceptance speech talked of a 106 year old woman who has seen women get the right to vote, then blacks, and now a president who is not white get elected. I am pleased and looking forward to the direction our country is about to take.